Fashion

G&G Creations named ‘Future’ winner

New York--The second annual Future of Design contest wrapped up Tuesday with a live finale at the MJSA Expo here, and Boston-based G&amp;G Creations was crowned the winner.

G&amp;G Creations includes designers VahÉ Ghazarian and Esin and Mihran Guler, along with Sarven Ipek. Ghazarian, who is also a sculptor and a painter, spent his childhood working at his family’s jewelry store, which led him to recognize his life’s calling: jewelry designer.

Esin Guler grew up surrounded by art and completed her training as a jewelry designer at Academie Istanbul. After school, she did an apprenticeship with world-renowned jeweler Sevan Bicakci, eventually opening her own jewelry business in America.

In March 2010, Guler paired with Ghazarian, who considers her his top protÉgÉ, to form G&amp;G Creations.

In presenting the award at the MJSA show on Tuesday morning, Cindy Edelstein, one of the contest organizers, said that the judges took a long time to deliberate before selecting G&amp;G Creations as the winner. Edelstein and contest co-organizer Andrea Hill, along with Hedda Schupak, editor of the Centurion newsletter, and Ann Arnold, president and CEO of Lieberfarb, judged the finalists live at the “shark-tank”-style finale. Novell Design Studio owner Bruce Pucciarello, another contest judge, couldn’t attend Tuesday’s event but his comments were taken into consideration.

“The margin of difference between these three companies is razor-thin,” Edelstein said. “All of you will be something we’ll be talking about (in the industry) for a long time.”

In the end, though, the judges selected the company that had the best combination of business plan and jewelry design, with Edelstein noting that G&amp;G Creations is poised to show the industry “phenomenal” results.

G&amp;G Creation’s hearts are crafted in sterling silver and gold with colored gemstones.

Launched last year, the Future of Design is a contest designed to promote emerging designs in the jewelry industry.